I tried Dietlicious’s 5:2 diet plan, and here’s what happened

Will this intermittent fasting plan help you lose weight — and more importantly, do its meals taste good?

When you hit a certain age (I still refuse to call it middle age) losing weight is like a toddler learning to walk. Your mind knows what you want to do… but your body just won’t co-operate.

And it’s always five kilos. “I just want to drop five kilos” seems to be the ongoing soundtrack to my life. I lose three, I gain two. And so it’s been for the past few years. Gone are the days of scoffing handfuls of chocolate (yes, handfuls, not pieces) — instead all I have to do is look at hot chips and they magically appear on my waist.

So when an email landed in my inbox asking for a guinea pig for new healthy eating plan from delivery service Dietlicious, I replied YES at warp speed. I signed up for a six-week trial of their 5:2 diet – one I’d been keen to try.

5:1 is spruiked as being a pattern — a way of eating more than a diet. And it’s not really a fad. There’s some fairly solid science behind fasting: Benefits include fat loss, mental clarity, improved metabolism, increased human growth hormone and even a lowered risk of cognitive disorders like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

So how does the 5:2 diet work? It’s a form of intermittent fasting where for two days a week you restrict your calories: 500 a day for women and 600 for men (about a quarter of the average adult’s daily requirement). Then for the other five days you eat fairly normally, up to 2000 calories for women and 2500 for the blokes.

Now, I’m rubbish at maths. The idea of weighing food and counting calories feels like too much hard work to me. I barely make my train every day, let alone find time to weigh my lunch. So Dietlicious’s plan seemed perfect: You pick the type of meals you want (regular, gluten-free or vegetarian) and wait for the food to arrive.

They tell you to fast on non-consecutive days. So, I followed their plan of fasting on a Monday and Wednesday. Better to get it out of the way early, right? So, how’d it go? Well let’s get right to it. In fact, let’s break it down.

Five things I got out of this diet

Weight loss

I lost 3kgs — so a safe half a kilogram a week. I probably could’ve lost more if I’d stuck religiously to it, but I didn’t deprive myself when there was a birthday cake in the office or if I really wanted a glass (or four) of wine.

This plan does allow you to have the odd drink. I don’t think I could have survived fasting and detoxing at the same time.

Fasting

You get into quite a rhythm, so it doesn’t feel like such a chore. It’s definitely easier to stick to when you’re flat chat at work — I’d barely notice that it was midday and I hadn’t had breakfast.

On the Dietlicious 5:2 plan you get two meals on fasting day, and let me tell you, they’re not a carrot stick and a glass of water. Think vegetable lasagne, broccoli and almond soup and chicken curries.

Yes, the portions are small, but I was never hangry and clawing at the fridge like a crazy woman (okay, so maybe once I was).

Portions

Let’s expand on portions. After spending six weeks on this eating plan, I’ve discovered my internal calorie counter is waaaaay out of whack. I thought I was doing a good job of eating half-decent food in a sensible way, but this plan showed me I’ve got a lot to learn.

If you struggle with this too, a plan like this can really reset your clock and make you think differently about how much you eat.

Carbs are your friend

Being a woman over 40, naturally I’m scared of carbs. But for six weeks I ate all kind of carbs. Pasta, lasagne, pastry, rice and quinoa.

And guess what? I didn’t blow up like a puffer fish. I felt full, satisfied and like I was eating a truly balanced diet for the first time in a long time. As I type I’m eating my lunch of chicken san choi bow and it’s delicious.

Snacks are the key

On the five days you don’t fast, you get three meals a day. A typical day would be porridge or fruit toast for breakfast, protein and carbs for lunch (think chicken cacciatore, salmon and mushroom filo) and a protein and veggie dinner (think lamb curry or piri-piri chicken).

It adds up to about 1000 calories. So then you can add your own snacks to get you up to the recommended calorie count. So, I added foods like blueberries, almonds and yoghurt. The three meals kept me full enough, so the snacks felt like a bonus.

My two recommendations for Dietlicious

Change the packaging

You’ve got delicious food. Better food than I would or could ever prepare or intend to eat. Who know quinoa could taste so good!

But you can’t see it. Every meal comes in the same black container, so it feels a little bleak. Use clear containers please. You’ve got great looking and tasting food — so let your customers see it!

Add treats

The one thing I did miss on this plan, that I’ve also enjoyed on similar plans, is a little dessert. Give me a heathy brownie or a small sweet treat. It would stop me looking elsewhere. You can buy them separately on the site, but I think everyone would be happier if you threw in a salted caramel protein ball every few days!

The verdict

So how do I feel at the end of my six weeks? Eating healthy is easy when it’s comes straight to your door. At approximatelt $178 per week, plus delivery, Dietlicious not cheap, but it’s comparable to other similar plans.

I’d definitely do it again, and would recommend it to anyone looking to overhaul their eating habits and kick-start a healthier way of life.